Smith Electric Vehicles to Get Hydrogen Range Extension

In brief: Proton Power Systems and Smith Electric Vehicles are teaming up to ad fuel-cell range extenders to the popular Smith Electric trucks manufactured in the EU and U.S.

Vehicle in the news

Make/Model: NewtonManufacturer: Smith Electric Vehicles

The word

The first to get the fuel-cell extender will be the Newton delivery van, one of Smith's most popular electric vehicles. The test vans will roll off the assembly line and head to Germany for field testing later this year.

These will be standard Smith Newtons with the addition of the Proton Power PM200 fuel cell, which will ad another 86 miles of range to the 100 miles the Newton is capable of already. Because the vehicle is capable of more miles on battery than with the hydrogen fuel-cell, it's considered a "range extended fuel-cell vehicle" rather than a hydrogen fuel-cell hybrid.

These will go to fleet operators and local authorities along the European Union's Hydrogen Highway which stretches all the way up to the Netherlands.

Germany currently boasts 30 H2 fueling stations with more coming over the next five years.

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